Love Square Boy
by InLoveWithFairyTail
Summary: Dumped by his girlfriend, Lisanna Strauss, who claims that her new love is his best friend Laxus Dreyar, Natsu Dragneel is having a miserable day. Then, Lucy Heartfilia, school nerd and beauty, confesses her feelings towards him? Caught in this uncompleted love square, what will Natsu do?
1. Chapter 1: Heartbreak and Rejection

**Chapter One: Heartbreak and Rejection**

"I love you!"

Those three words blew Natsu Dragneel's world out of proportion, and distorted his surroundings, although if they had come from another girl, maybe none of that would have happened. Today, those weren't the only three words that had changed his life so far. In a single moment, his happy teenage life, his ecstatic sophomore high school year, had completely crumpled up into a ball of misery. All because of two phrases that each contained three words, Natsu Dragneel, popular boy, had been beaten down.

His morning had started out normally, just another exhausting Monday morning in his mind. The salmon-haired high schooler had woken up, hair ruffled and dressed in nothing but boxers. Next to him was his blaring alarm, an object that could care less about the valued sleep of Natsu Dragneel. Groggily, he pressed the off button and the noisy contraption went silent, making everything quiet enough for him to consider going back to sleep. But his little step-sister, his junior by a year, bounded into his room, smiling widely.

"Natsu-san! Grandine says to wake up!" the blue-haired girl said in her sweet little voice. Natsu smiled at her weakly, and flipped the covers off him.

"Alright, just…let me get dressed."

Wendy ran out of his room, and he listened as her footsteps sounded against the stairs. Natsu sighed, rubbing his face to energize himself, and he took a look at his cell phone. He hesitated before he grabbed it and opened it; the screensaver was beautiful. Lisanna Strauss's face was smiling right at him, as she clung onto his arm in the picture. Her expression told him that she was about to laugh, and the present him stood there, waiting to hear that sweet sound fill up the space. It didn't come, and Natsu, now convinced that he was some kind of stalker – even if the girl mentioned was his girlfriend – got dressed in his Fairy Tail Academy's uniform. As he slipped on his cardigan over his shirt, he thought about several things, most of them concerning Lisanna. No matter how much he didn't like to admit it, he had to admit that his girl had been drifting from him these days. Gray had assured him to not worry about it, that Lisanna was probably caught up in some kind of project, or whatever. The salmon-haired boy had accepted his friend's suggestion with a polite nod, but still, he remained unsure. Laxus, his best friend, who hung out the most with him, even when Lisanna was there, had told him that he shouldn't be worrying about these kinds of things; Lisanna was into him and he had nothing to furrow his eyebrows over. But…the white-haired girl was distant, he could tell, and this ate away at him.

"Natsu!" Grandine called, "Hurry up, please!"

"I'm comin'!"

He picked up a part of his bangs on the right side and made his was down the stairs. His father, Igneel, was already seated at the table, along with Wendy and Grandine. Igneel was a redhead with a slight attitude –which was where Natsu probably got his personality from – and Grandine was the blue-haired calm, wise beauty he had remarried. Today, Redhead was dressed up in a suit, since he had earned a job from some company. Grandine had made waffles with strawberries, a delicacy that was Erza's – one of Natsu's scary friends – favorite. Often times, their little kitchen table was crowded with buddies, and sometimes, Lisanna was the only one invited over. In fact, she had been coming over occasionally for years now, since she had been his childhood friend. Natsu had fallen hard for her ever since she had suggested that he was the father of the stray cat they had found – a bluish cat he had named Happy, and who now lived with him – and that she was the mother.

"Let's get married someday, Natsu!" she had exclaimed, her short hair making a halo around her angelic face. The salmon-haired boy blushed at the thought as he took a seat.

"Good morning, son," Igneel nodded to him, flipping through his newspaper. Natsu replied back with a hearty greeting, and began to wolf down his breakfast. Eventually, his plate became bare, and he grinned at his step-mother, "That was good, Grandine!"

The gorgeous woman smiled back at him and continued to eat her meal with dainty bites. Wendy was busy trying to copy her, but repetitively got syrup smudged on the sides of her mouth. Laughing softly, Natsu handed her a napkin, which she accepted gratefully.

"You better hurry you two, or you'll be late," Wendy's mother warned and her daughter picked up the pace, alternately eating and wiping her face. Natsu, meanwhile, set his plate and fork in the sink, and grabbed the milk carton from the refridgerator. Swiftly, he took a waterfall from it, grabbed a cup from the dishwasher, poured some out for Wendy, and put the container back into the fridge. The petite girl nodded her thanks and gulped it up, then she finished off her breakfast as well. Carefully, she brought her utensils to the sink and wiped her mouth with her forearm.

"We're leaving!" Natsu called as Wendy gave Igneel and Grandine kisses. He grabbed his school bag, and carried Wendy's while he was at it. He made his way towards the front door, bent down to put on his sneakers, and waited as Wendy adorned hers. She then opened the door for her brother and the two walked out, shutting the door behind them slowly as Grandine and Igneel called out, "Have a good day!"

Natsu now wished they had said to have an extra good day, because his did not turn out to be a "good day". The salmon-haired boy had arrived to school as usual, departed with his little sister (after giving her bag to her), and had made his way to his own classroom (after trading his sneakers for his indoor shoes). Inside him, he could feel the bubbly excitement of meeting up with Lisanna again after the weekend. He made his way through the hallways until he reached Class 2-A; slowly, he slid open the door, and didn't bat an eye as a rouse of greetings were yelled at him.

"Morning Natsu!" Gray nodded to him as the boy set down his things at his desk.

"Hey Gray…uh, where's your shirt?"

The black-haired boy looked down at himself, cussed, and ran out of the classroom to remember where he had last stripped. Natsu nodded in greeting to a few girls that gushed over him, a few guys that fist bumped him, and a few close friends that punched him on the shoulder. Throughout the process, he let his eyes wander around the room, searching for Lisanna. All he got was Cana Alberona yelling loudly at everyone, Evergreen bragging about something, and a blonde girl reading a book in the corner. The blonde girl made him double back, only because he couldn't remember what her name was. She had her hair tied in pigtails, and her uniform was neatly worn; she had curves, but no one seemed to notice her. Suddenly, his vision blacked out as two soft hands slid over his eyes. He smiled as he brought his hands up to lay them over the newcomer's.

"Guess who?" a familiar voice giggled, and he laughed softly.

"I don't know, is that you Elfman?"

"How mean!"

The hands pulled back from his face and the salmon-haired boy looked up at his girlfriend, Lisanna Strauss. Her short white hair was combed neatly, and she adorned a smile that made his heart wrench.

"How's it going?" she asked him, and he wanted to tell her about his worries. How he felt as if she was drifting away from him a little bit more each day, and how he felt as if this romance was becoming one-sided, but all he said was, "Great."

She smiled at him for a moment, before her face fell into a more serious expression. "Natsu, let's talk. At lunch."

Talk? It couldn't be good, whatever she wanted to talk about. Natsu could feel it in the pit of him stomach, but he tried to ignore it, and grinned at her, "Okay."

The bell rang just as Gray rushed into the classroom and took his seat, breathing heavily. He had his shirt back on, and gave Natsu the thumbs up sign, "Ha! Beat the bell!"

"That's great."

"What's wrong with you? Usually you'd insult me or somethin'."

"I don't feel like it…"

The classroom door slid open and Jiemma-sensei walked in. He was a substitute for Obaba-sensei the whole week, unfortunately. He was annoying, and everyone knew it, and so was his daughter, Minerva-sensei, another substitute teacher (for math class) Natsu had for the whole week in replacement of Bob-sensei. They had formerly been principal and vice-principal in Sabertooth Elite High, but had been kicked out due to their severe disciplinary system – anyone who tarnishes the name of Sabertooth Elite High would be expelled from the school. Now, they earned a living through substitute teaching, and were not allowed to give out punishments, even detentions.

"I'm your teacher for this week," he mumbled and wrote his name on the board.

Natsu didn't even mull over how aggravating the man was that hour because all he was thinking about was the future talk Lisanna wanted to have with him. He kept on dwelling on the matter throughout his math and English class, and when lunch finally came, he didn't have much of an appetite either. He just made his way up to the roof, where Lisanna's text message had told him to meet her at. The boy obliged and when he got up to the arranged meeting place, all he saw was Laxus Dreyar and Lisanna. Immediately, he got a horrible feeling in his stomach which arose to his throat, almost choking him.

"Lisanna…"

"Natsu, I have something I want to tell you," the white-haired girl cut him off, biting her lip in nervousness. Laxus wrapped his arm around her, and she seemed to relax. The horrible feeling grew.

"Natsu…"

She stopped again, then breathed in, "Let's break up."

He hadn't known. He didn't know. He knew it. He should have known it. He should have listened to him saying that he had known it all along. The world became a blur of colors with no distinct shape.

"What? Lisanna…"

"I'm sorry," Lisanna said, tears brimming in her eyes. Why are you crying? Natsu thought, I'm the one who feels miserable right now…He felt as if he were in a daze, hypnotized and glassy-eyed.

"I love Laxus."

"Sorry, Natsu."

He should have known. The way Lisanna had laughed around the blonde guy, how he had covered up her eyes, and joked around with her so often. He had liked his white-haired childhood friend all along, and Natsu had been too blinded by his own romance to notice.

"I…" the salmon-haired boy couldn't talk. The world seemed to be tipping around him, spinning out of control. "Alright." No, not alright. Beat him up, grab her, do something! Stop her!

"Okay, I understand," he heard himself saying. It was as if he was watching a drama on T.V. It wasn't his life, because he had a girlfriend of his own. Only, now it was reality…it was reality T.V.

Lisanna came over to hug him, pulled back, and let Laxus lead her away from him. She gave Natsu one more glance before she turned and descended the steps with her new boyfriend.

"Ugh…" Natsu heard himself give a low moan. He trudged back down the steps himself and went to his next class. He wasn't hungry, and he wasn't going to interact. He remained distant throughout the whole day. Even Gray couldn't break the trance he was in, and Erza couldn't even get him to wince even once with her bone-chilling threats. Once or twice, he saw that Bookworm Blonde Girl giving him quick glances, giving him a concerned look, but he didn't need it. He didn't need cheering up right now, and he didn't need pity.

So when it was time to go home, he had texted Wendy to go to their house by herself, and had withdrawn to the park. There, he seated himself on a swing and had looked at his feet. It wasn't long before the surroundings around him turned into an orange-ish glow, and things became blurry. Natsu cursed himself, and wiped away his tears, clenching his jaw to hold them back. He had liked Lisanna ever since he was little, and he had been sure that she had felt the same way towards him…and yet, she could give it up so easily.

"This isn't right, to be crying in a place like this…"

"Are you…alright?" a voice sounded next to him. He turned his head around, rubbing away the last of his waterworks. It was the blonde from his class, hair tied in pigtails, and eyebrows scrunched together.

"Are you alright?" she said again, and this time he answered her.

"Yeah."

"You don't look like it."

Surprisingly, she took a seat in the swing next to him, and he looked at her curiously. "What are you doing?"

The blonde looked at him seriously, "I'm going to comfort you!"

Despite his mood, Natsu permitted himself to smile a little at her words. "Sorry, but I don't know your name…even though you're in my class. What is it?"

She gave him a tiny smile, as if his reply were to be expected, "Lucy. Lucy Heartfilia."

"Oh. I'm-"

"I know who you are…everyone does."

"Oh."

The two of them sat there in silence for a moment, and the boy was the first to get up. "Well, I better be leaving now."

"W-wait!"

And that was when it had happened.

"What?"

"I…I love you!"

Coming this far in his memories, Natsu was now blasted to the present, and found himself looking at Lucy, staring up at him with beautiful chocolate brown eyes.

"I know you have a girlfriend…but…"

"Actually, I don't…anymore…" he replied, still shocked by her sudden confession. The blonde snapped her head up, and he could tell that she was trying hard to suppress her smile. "Really?"

"Yeah, she broke up with me…this afternoon."

"Then…would you mind…maybe…?"

He stared at the girl before him, still shocked. She was actually trying to get him to date her after he had told her that he had JUST broken up with his girl?

"Um…sorry, I still…like her…I still like my ex."

Lucy looked up at him, sighing, and smiling a sad smile, "I knew this should have been expected. You didn't even know my name."

"Sorry."

"That isn't really the right word for this situation."

"What?"

"Sorry to me means 'I'm never going to see you again' or 'this is farewell', or that you did something wrong. You did nothing wrong, and I'm definitely going to see you again."

If only he had said that earlier to Lisanna and Laxus; it would have been a whole lot better than standing there like an idiot.

"I've…got to go," he told her and she grinned at him again.

"I'm not giving up on you, Natsu Dragneel. So, you hang in there with your love life, 'kay?"

The salmon-haired boy stared at her for a moment, then walked away. Even then, he could see the tears forming in her eyes. Even faced with the obstacle of rejection, how could she remain to be so strong-willed?

_I'm not giving up on you, Natsu Dragneel. So, you hang in there with your love life, 'kay?_

Natsu smiled to himself. That Blondie had done what he had thought no one could do: cheer him up.

"Lucy," he muttered, "Lucy, Lucy, Lucy, her name is Lucy."

He was determined to not forget her name.


	2. Chapter 2

**I've finally stopped putting this story on hiatus. The reason why I put discontinued this story for a while was because I had no ideas at all for the second chapter...but now here it is! And now...I should really be paying attention to the other fanfics as well...**

**Hope you like this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Fairy Tail **

* * *

**Chapter Two**

Natsu should have known that when we woke up that morning that he would have forgotten all about the break up, and the love confession he had received. And then when it hit him at last, it would hurt a lot more than it did yesterday. But he didn't know. So the emotions that engulfed him like a tidal wave welled up within him as he dressed, ate breakfast, and got ready to leave. Grandine, who in the midst of packing her husband some lunch for his second day of his new job, shot her son a curious look as she noticed his preoccupied expression, but she made no move to question about it. This was a wise choice.

As the salmon-haired boy left his home, his pain ebbed away into anger. Laxus was his best friend, and yet he had stolen away the only girlfriend he had ever had. That blonde bastard knew how much he loved Lisanna, and yet he had not even resisted his temptation to interfere in Natsu's relationship. Behind him, he could hear Wendy's frantic steps in order to catch up with him, but he didn't slow down as he approached the gate. He readjusted his tie as he extended his arm to open it.

"Hi, Natsu!" a voice chirped from nowhere, and in his moment of being distracted by personal life issues, Natsu's usual calm demeanor slipped, and he found himself cursing as he slipped backwards, and fell on the cold, hard ground of the stone-paved path to his front door.

"Are you okay?"

"I don't know…does it look like I'm okay?" he asked bitterly, and accepted his sister's hand gratefully. He looked towards the source of the stupid question, and blinked as he realized who it was.

"Luigi," he said, and clenched his jaw. No, that wasn't right.

She was a girl after all. She had blonde hair, golden in the sunlight that streamed down, that was tied off into two pigtails, and her chocolate brown eyes narrowed as she permitted herself to look at Morning Natsu. A deep blush ascended her cheeks as the boy shoved his hands into his pockets, and tilted his head to get a better look at her face.

"Lucy-san!" Wendy said in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Lucy! That was it! Her name was Lucy!

The blonde seemed to consider running away before she looked at Wendy directly. "Um…uh…visiting?"

"Oh, I get it," the blue-haired, petite girl said in a singsong voice, and smirked at her friend. "You confessed, Lucy! You two are going out!?"

"Uh, no…little sister…and how do you even know her?" Natsu asked, exasperation tainting his voice. Way to make the situation awkward, Wendy, he thought grudgingly as the little girl gave him a pout.

"She's in my book club, Natsu-nii," she replied tartly. "And she's in lo-!"

"Wendy!" Lucy snapped, before shooting Natsu a smile. "Hah…the things kids say, right?"

"I'm only a year younger than you guys."

The salmon-haired teen ruffled his kid sister's hair before he pushed the front gate open, and ushered the blunette through it. Lucy fell into step beside him, and before he could stop himself, Natsu asked, "How do you know where I live, anyways?"

"Your dad works for my dad…the owner of Heartfilia Corps. There's info on your father, so I looked it up and found out where you live."

"Isn't that the very definition of being a stalker right there?" he asked, and smiled at the shocked expression Lucy plastered onto her face.

"Since when was 'research' considered 'stalking'?" she demanded, crossing her arms across her chest. "I was merely utilizing the tools given to me in order to obtain the information I require."

Natsu laughed out loud, an action he thought would take a couple years to do after what had happened yesterday. "You're a riot, Lucy."

He marveled at the dark shade of red that colored the blonde's cheeks. He hadn't thought it possible for a human's skin to turn that hue of red. He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, and said the first thing that came to mind, "So you won't be one of those girls who'll get my dad fired just because I won't date you, right?"

"Of course not!"

Lucy's voice came out higher than usual – whatever usual was…Natsu hadn't spent enough time with her to determine that. Maybe the voice she was using now and yesterday was deepened on purpose?

"I mean…" she said, clearing her throat, "I would never do that to you, Natsu…and I hope you trust me on that."

"I trust you," Natsu said, and fist-bumped one of his distant friends as they began to pass by some students of Fairy Tail Academy. Some of them stared at Lucy as she sailed by; Natsu couldn't really blame them. After all, despite him not noticing her for some time now, it didn't take long for a person to realize how pretty she was. She had the flawless skin, the shining, silky hair, the sparkling eyes, and the right…curves. It was someone like her that truly did not need the aid of make-up to emphasize her beauty. It was already all there.

"What?" she asked, her voice suddenly quiet. Her fingers twitched.

"I said, 'I trust you'…I know you wouldn't do that kinda thing…" he stopped talking as he saw the ecstatic look in the blonde's eyes. "Did I say something wrong?"

"N-no, of course not…I'm just…really happy," she said breathlessly, and tugged at her pigtails. She turned her head towards him; as she did so, Natsu caught a whiff of vanilla and cherry blossoms. Lucy smelled wonderful…like the aroma of happiness…if it had one. She even smelled better than –

Lisanna.

As they approached the front entrance of the school, he could see her standing on the sidewalk, talking to someone big, muscular, and blonde. Laxus. Natsu clenched his fists as the passed the new couple – and he could have sworn that he felt their gazes slide over him as he waltzed past – and his heart jumped as Lucy's voice penetrated his daze.

"Are you okay, Natsu?" she asked him worriedly. A look of realization crossed her face. "Did Lisanna leave you fo-?"

"Yes, Luce," he said, cutting off her sentence cleanly.

For a moment, he thought his tone and words had been too harsh as the blonde looked away from him, and hung her head down. He sighed, rubbing his head in exasperation, as he searched for words to mend his ways.

He leaned forward to look in her face, and began to say, "Look, sor-"

He halted when he saw the happy look scrawled messily across the girl's facial features. She turned to meet his gaze and stumbled backwards a bit; the blonde tried to suppress her smile, but it broke free soon after.

"Why are you so…_that_?"

"I've never been given a nickname by a boy before…and I never thought you would…! And…! I'm sorry, it's just that…I can't explain."

Natsu blinked and began to laugh. Lucy looked at him strangely, and her mouth tugged down into a frown. "What's so funny?"

"I thought you were sulking over me snapping at you…I never thought you'd be celebrating over a monosyllabic nickname!"

Luce blushed again, and she had to duck her head out of his line of sight so that he could stop laughing at last. They entered the school building, and Lucy disappeared to go to her own shoe locker, still too embarrassed by his laughing at her to even mutter her farewell. Wendy bade her brother good bye – but not before giving him a strange look and smirk – and Natsu was left alone to change out his outside shoes for his indoor ones. When he had at last finished that process, he slung his school bag over his shoulder, and began to head towards class. A part of him debated over whether he should wait for Lucy or not, but the growing crowd of people convinced him not to, and he made his way towards class. When he slid the door open, and muttered a, "Good morning" to everyone present, he was immediately slammed into by Gray, who wrapped an arm around his neck. Erza appeared behind him, her arms crossed in a concerned, but slightly menacing way.

"You bastard!" Gray growled. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Tell you what?" Natsu asked, pulling away from his friend. "And where's your shirt?"

"No time for that!" the black-haired teen replied, though he groped at his own bare chest absentmindedly. "The question here is, you dipsh*t, why didn't you tell us that Lisanna and you broke up?!"

Natsu's stomach immediately dropped, and his mouth became dry as he struggled to find the right words to calm down his friend. Erza spoke up. "Gray…that isn't the right way to address someone whose heart has been broken."

The salmon-headed boy winced at his scarlet-haired friend's more hurtful, blunt statement. She noticed, and stammered, "Oh, wait…sorry, Natsu."

"S'alright," he sighed, and made his way towards his own desk. There, he hung his bag on the hook snapped into the desk, and sat heavily down in his chair. He leaned back, and observed the cold questioning glare on Gray's face. He was also in the process of unbuckling the belt holding his pants up. The girls around him were heating up at the sight.

"Gray…pants," Erza snapped, and the black-haired teen's hands flew away from his belt. "Now…Natsu?"

"Lisanna left me for Laxus," the high school sophomore said in a hurry. He tried to gaze at his friends' shocked, slackened faces with an emotionless face. Finally, Gray said in a disbelieving tone, "Laxus? That huge sh*tload of muscle? _Lisanna _left _you _for _him?" _

Natsu nodded as the black-haired teen held his chin, and said, "Reasonable."

Erza punched Gray in the arm, and ignored his squeaky protest of "It was just a joke!"

"Laxus…" the vengeful redhead said, her eyes seething with rage. "Should have known. Always sticking his ass into your relationship."

"We should blame Natsu's ass for not bumping Laxus' ass out of his business, now that I think of it. What guy covers the eyes of his best friend's girl?" Gray said, and received another hit from Erza, this time in the nose.

"Gray's right Erza," Natsu groaned. "I should have noticed it from the beginning. I was so stupid to think Lisanna and Laxus were just friends."

"_Why can't we be friends? Why can't we be friends_?" Gray sang, obtaining the collected attention of all gathered classmates.

"GRAY, IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE USEFUL, GET OUT AND FIND YOUR DAMN SHIRT!" Erza snapped, and turned back to her heartbroken friend in the calmest way possible. "Look, Natsu, if Lisanna chose Laxus over you…then she's just not the right girl for you."

"Speaking of 'girl'," Gray muttered, "Look at that…"

Natsu directed his gaze towards the open classroom door, and paled at the sight of a gathering of girls pushing and shoving to get to the front of the crowd. When he looked over at them, the whole swarm of them started to giggle and chuckle, turning red and waving shyly. A large portion of them were carrying little boxes wrapped in shiny paper with bows in their hands. Another portion was holding big rectangles wrapped in cloth – lunchboxes.

"You're never going to starve again!" Gray said, sitting on his desktop. "And a few of those girls have some big ones…"

Gray made an outward gesture from his still naked chest. Natsu rolled his eyes at him; right now, he didn't want to sink to the low level of 'boob-hungry'.

"And speaking of 'You-Know-Who'…" Erza muttered.

"Who? Voldemort?" Gray inquired, and dodged the fist directed towards him just in time.

Natsu quickly diverted his eyes as Lisanna slipped past the heard of girls and sauntered into the room. She skillfully ignored the glares shot at her, the less-than-quiet, venomous insults of "bitch" and "cold-hearted", and paused just a bit when she passed Natsu's desk. "Hello…Natsu." Her tone only cracked slightly, but Natsu steeled himself against her emotional greeting.

"Hey," he said in return, and bit his tongue to prevent himself from reducing to a blob of pathetic-ness. Erza shot him a look full of worry, and before she could say anything, their attention was drawn to the crowd yet again. The voices were rising, and Natsu watched them, curious about the reason why the group was suddenly becoming rowdy.

"I saw her walking with Natsu this morning," someone said in a nasally voice. "What a vulture!"

"She thinks she's gonna grab Natsu as soon as he's finished with Lisanna!"

"In your dreams, you nerd!"

"Don't let that bitch get into the classroom." There was a whole lot more pushing as everyone fought to keep the mystery person out of the class. Natsu, suspicion tickling his mind, stood up and approached the crowd. He brushed off Gray's incessant questions, and Erza's repetition of his name. The girls gushed as he came closer, extending their gifts with breathy giggles as his eyes swept over them…there…blonde.

"Please, let me through!"

"Luce…" he said, and it became apparent that she could not hear him through the high soprano of female voices. More loudly this time, he said, "Luce!"

Her attention was immediately grabbed, and she looked at the boy with a stubborn expression. 'I can handle this on my own,' she seemed to be saying. Natsu had never met a girl more headstrong than this, and he raised an eyebrow at the mess of limbs preventing her from entering.

"Unless you want to be late to class, you're not handling this on your own," he replied back aloud, and he leaned forward, and grabbed her wrist. He had not counted on the crowd parting as soon as he had a hold of the blonde, and he pulled harder than what was needed. Luce stumbled across the threshold of the classroom door, and slammed into Natsu's chest.

The boy could feel his face warming as he felt her…chest pressing against his – not exactly against his, since she was a few inches shorter than him, but close enough…

Lucy pushed herself away from him, her whole face the color of a ripe tomato, and she spluttered as she tried to say something. But just as she was, the bell rang, and the outraged group of girls squealed, and rushed back to their own classes. Natsu quickly scrambled to his desk, and Luce followed suit. Although Jiemma – sensei wasn't entirely allowed to punish them, his annoying, subtle way of lecturing (that as the only way he was allowed to yell at students now) had a way of dragging on and on and on. Natsu waited for his face to cool down, and winced as Gray shot him a smirk. He was not going to hear the end of this later…

* * *

At lunch, Natsu rushed out of the classroom as soon as possible to escape Gray's sure queries. And among those questions, he was sure something was going to be chest-related. The boy climbed to the school rooftop, and sighed heavily as he sat against the railing. The fear of heights had never been on his list of phobias much.

"I knew you'd be here!"

He looked up, already anticipating who it was. Lucy.

"You don't look that surprised."

"I've already grown used to the sound of your voice," he said wearily, and gave a small smile at her blush. "You sure do that a lot."

Her hands shot up to her cheeks, and she said desperately, "I can't help it. When I'm with you…I'm on edge, and as soon as you say something like that…"

Natsu scratched the back of his neck, and pointed to a spot next to him. "You can sit if you want."

She took up his offer (apparently, acrophobia wasn't on her list of fears, either), and a moment of silence followed between them.

After a while, she spoke up. "You smell good, Natsu."

He coughed in surprise. "What?"

Her face was already turning pink. "You know…you smell like nutmeg (A/N: from what I've researched, nutmeg smells like cinnamon…but a little different), and ginger…and peppermint…"

Natsu scratched the bridge of his nose with his finger, and turned away as he felt his cheeks heating up. "Well, uh, that's the first time I've heard someone say that."

"Ugh, you probably think I'm weird now."

"No, really…if it makes you feel better, I think you smell good, too."

"Huh?"

"Like vanilla and cherry blossoms. I've always liked vanilla."

Her cheeks flared up. What had he said? He had only told her that he liked vanilla…and she smelled like vanilla…oh…oh!

"I mean…uh…you know…"

"I know what you mean…sorry," she replied, holding her face in her hands.

Natsu ran his hand through his hair. He had never felt himself getting this flustered over what he had said to a girl his entire life. With Luce, he felt like he had to watch what he was saying. Any random comment could set her off.

"You…really are a riot, Lucy," the salmon-haired boy said, and when her signature beet red blush appeared, he laughed. She gave him a playful glare, and buried her head into her arms. The action only made Natsu laugh more.

Of course, instead of watching what he said, he could always tease her instead.

* * *

**There! Done! There was a LOT of blushing in this chapter... ._.**

**But anyways, I hope you guys review and tell me what you think!**

**And I hope you give my other NaLu fics a try: I Don't Want to Be Caught Up in Your Love Story, That Unrequited Childhood Love, My Army Boy, and Signed, Lucy**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

"_My broken heart,_

_ I clutch in my hands._

_ Who will bring me the happiness_

_ Of falling in love again?"_

Natsu sleepily ate his burnt piece of toast as Wendy sang the beginning of Jenny's – a famous female singer from Blue Pegasus Entertainment – new song, _Sick of a Love Where. _He chewed slowly as the petite blue-haired girl stood up, grabbed the spoon she had been using to eat oatmeal, and began to dance in a random jig as she sang the next verse.

"_Who will be the next to don the wings_

_ That will take him from me_

_ The moment I fall in love_

_ Seriously?"_

Before she could continue on much further, the salmon-haired teen raised his hands, and broke into sarcastic applause.

"Woohoo," he said in a flat tone. "Everyone, the new music idol…Wendy Dragneel!"

She slammed her spoon down on the table, splashing oatmeal remnants everywhere, and gave her older brother a steely glare. "Seriously, Natsu-nii, you've got no interest in music, do you?"

"Sure I do…"

"Like what?"

"Any song that you aren't currently singing."

"Natsu, I-!"

"Now, now, you two…no fighting at the table," Grandine chided gently as she scraped the last bits of what had been a waffle from her plate and into her mouth. She nudged her husband's arm. "Right, dear?"

"Yes, yes…"

"Besides that, I want the two of you to come home early, today, okay?"

"Sure," Natsu responded almost instantly. He had nothing to do, and even if Gray were to invite him somewhere, it'd probably be some blind group date he had mischievously planned. The salmon-haired teen had explained to his friends at least a dozen times that he really didn't want a new girlfriend – not yet, anyways. But he suspected every time that he explained, Gray would purposely let his mind wander so that he wouldn't have to hear any of it.

"Okay, Mama, but why?" Wendy asked, seating herself in her chair, and downing the last bit of orange juice at the bottom of her glass. It was mostly pulp, but the blunette claimed it didn't bother her much at all drinking it. In fact, the only things that seemed to be able to bother the polite and cheery Wendy Dragneel were sour plums and her older step-brother.

"I've invited the Strauss family over to celebrate your father's new job. Lisanna is bringing a friend – Natsu! Close your mouth! Milk is spilling out of it!"

Natsu did as his mother told him to do, and checked to see if his uniform was soiled by his clumsy action. When not a speck of milk was found on his cardigan, he looked up. "You -"

But before he could say much more, Igneel spoke up in an abnormally high-pitched voice, "Oh my! Lisanna's FRIEND?! Is it a boy or a girl? Natsuuuu…you better watch out, or your girlfriend's going to get stolen from -"

"PAPA!" Wendy's shrill voice rang out, and silenced her redheaded father. He looked out from behind his newspaper and stared at his daughter in confusion. "I, uh…wouldn't you like more toast? I mean, you look rather fami-!"

"Lisanna and I broke up," Natsu said curtly. "Her 'friend' is her new boyfriend – Laxus."

A moment of silence ensued before Grandine's squeaky, "Oh dear!" and Igneel's "Oh, crappity crap!" sounded.

Natsu stood up as his mother reached over to comfort him. He'd rather not have a Sorry-Your-First-Ever-Relationship-Failed convention right now. "I'm going to go, now. Wendy, you ready?"

"Yeah!"

The siblings hurried towards the front door as their parents stared after their son in worry.

"Natsu, you don't have to be there if you don't-!"

"I'll be there. It's Dad's celebration, right? That's why…" he turned to get one last look at his parents before he left for school, "…I'll definitely be there."

* * *

"So that's how it is," Lucy, who had woken up too late to accompany Natsu to school, said thoughtfully as she tapped her grammar workbook against her chin. The bell hadn't signaled the start of the school day yet, and Gray and Erza had yet to arrive. Natsu sat in the seat in front of the blonde, propping his feet carelessly on the desk. His unbuttoned cardigan was sloppy as his un-tucked button down shirt underneath, and his hair was in wild spikes.

"Yep…" he answered back, eating the chocolate bar Luce had given when he had walked in. "And I want to be there for my dad…it's been some time since he got a job…but I think it's going to be hard for me to ignore Lisanna and Laxus's couple-ness."

"Couple-ness?" the blonde asked testily. The salmon-haired boy ignored her annoyance at his made-up word. "Well…do you want me to come and comfort you as you sit alone in a dark corner, wallowing in your own despair?"

"First of all," he said, gulping down the last bit of his candy, "harsh. Second of all, Natsu Dragneel does NOT publicize his 'wallowing in despair'."

"I'm pretty sure you can handle this on your own, Natsu…unless you do want me to come?" she mumbled the last part in a hurry. When the pink-haired teen turned his gaze on her, he scratched the back of his head awkwardly at the bright red of her cheeks.

"Nah…my dad's…he's kinda weird. He'll get…ideas into his head…" he replied, crumpling of the candy wrapper awkwardly.

"Oh…I…uh…it was just an idea I threw out there…so, uh, don't worry about it."

"Yeah."

"Good morning, Natsu."

The salmon-haired teen looked up at who was talking to him. It was Erza, and she smiled at him brightly, and then nodded to Lucy. The redhead beckoned to her friend. "May I talk with you for a moment, Natsu?"

"Sure?" he replied uncertainly, and gave the blonde a curt wave. "See ya, Luce."

"Um, y-yeah, see you…"

Natsu smiled. No matter how many times he utilized her nickname, she never quite got used to it.

He followed his red-haired friend out in the hallway, and practically screamed when she nailed him to the wall.

"What – the – hell – Natsu?" Erza asked him through clenched teeth. She jabbed her finger into his chest every time she uttered a word.

"What? What did I do wrong?" he asked her, squirming under her tight grasp.

"When are you going to get it into your BIG, FAT, STUPID head to tell me things right away when they happen?!"

"And what did I fail to tell the oh-so-wonderful Erza?" he asked sarcastically, and immediately regretted it when he received a punch in the stomach.

"I just heard from Wendy that Lucy Heartfilia confessed to you?!" she said in a harsh whisper.

"How does WENDY know that?" Natsu pondered, indirectly confirming his friend's statement. He felt all the air leave his lungs as Erza pressed onto him even further. The salmon-haired boy was being pinned to the flat wall so extremely, that he could feel the flat surface digging into his back.

"First of all…Lucy and Wendy are friends…of course the blonde wouldn't fail to tell one of her close friends something important like CONFESSING TO THE ONE SHE LIKES…though the same can't be told of you…" Erza said in a controlled tone. Her voice was strained as she continued, "And I heard that you rejected her? If you did that, why are you hanging out with her?! You do know anything you say to her could crush her like a rock squishing a helpless ant!?"

"Well, hear me out, Erza…Lucy Heartfilia is anything BUT an ant…and she seems to like hanging out with me…"

"Oh…" the redhead said in a despairing tone. "Why do all boys have to be such…you seem to have forgotten that she STILL likes you…do you know how honest she is to admit that to you, yourself? Trust me…I've talked to her a couple times…the very picture of honesty…Natsu…if you hurt an honest person like Lucy Heartfilia…you're going to regret it for a long time."

"I know that already," he snapped, surprised at his temper spiking. "I already know she's an honest person, and I know that if I hurt her…I'm going to mull over it for the longest time afterwards…but right now, she wants to be my friend, and I want to be hers. Just because she's confessed to me…doesn't mean I have to completely ignore her, right? If I destroy any relationship between us…I'm going to regret that, too, Erza."

His female friend finally let go of him as she recoiled and analyzed his answer. Finally, she sighed as Natsu dusted his uniform off.

"Fine, Natsu. But don't mess this up."

"Uh, yeah," he replied, "Oh and before you hear it from someone else, Lisanna's coming to my place tonight with Laxus."

"What?!" the redhead asked, suddenly alarmed.

"We're celebrating my dad's new job…the whole Strauss family is going to be there…so it's fine."

"Are you sure? Do you want me to come and beat Laxus to a bloody pulp…maybe bring one of those authentic swords I bought a while ago-?"

"Erza…I'll be fine…and I really don't want you to get arrested."

"Yes, yes…I suppose so…"

* * *

Natsu was watching _Kimi ni Todoke _with Wendy – the bluenette was obsessed over the show, and wouldn't have it when her older brother pleaded to watched something like Naruto or Bleach instead – when the doorbell rang.

"They're here!" Grandine said ecstatically, dressed in a simple, yet spectacular dress the color of a dark blue night sky.

"Mmmhmm," Igneel said, dressed in a simple tee-shirt, and pleated khaki pants. He was sitting in a comfy armchair, reading a novel that he had suspiciously found interesting the moment the doorbell had rung. The man hated greeting people. He'd rather just start a normal conversation without saying, "Hey, how have you been doing lately?"

"Get up, DEAR," his wife said dangerously, "Or I'll tie you up, and drag you to the door."

"Okay, okay," Igneel grunted, and got up to invite their guests in.

"Natsu, couldn't you have changed into something more…formal?" Grandine lamented as she surveyed the white tee shirt and gray sweatpants her son adorned. Wendy was dressed in a green dress they had bought the other day, but she didn't seem too happy about it. She kept on muttering complaints about how the dress was itchy.

"Formal is just a nice word to describe clothes that are stiff and uncomfortable," he replied automatically. "So, no, I will not change into something like that."

"Suit yourself," his mother answered in disdain, and followed her husband to the front door.

A flood of voices were suddenly heard as the Strauss family entered the Dragneel home.

It wasn't long before Natsu felt a familiar pair of arms snake around his neck.

"Natsu, it's been so long! I've missed you so much! You're so handsome now! And good-looking! Hot! You would definitely be a top model if you bothered to become one!"

The salmon-haired boy smiled, and groaned mockingly. "Mira…same as always, huh?"

The long-haired girl came into view. Mirajane Strauss, the oldest Strauss child, was beautiful. She had long, wavy, white hair, and a gorgeous smile, and her personality was charming (except she was very frightening when she was angry). Her eyes were blue and pretty, and her dark eyelashes were long, even when she wasn't wearing mascara. In fact, Mira didn't wear make-up. Her looks were natural, just like Lucy's. She was already in college, and was a minor model in a company, and was even good friends with the singer Jenny.

Mirajane smiled kindly, and hugged the boy again as he stood up and wrapped his own arms around her. She pulled away, and patted his cheek affectionately. "I'm not kidding when I say you've become quite a looker, Natsu. You're the most popular boy in school now, I've heard?"

"Well…"

Suddenly, the girl's face became sad, and she hugged him with much more force this time.

"Mira…" he gasped, "You're going to kill me."

"I'm so sorry about Lisanna, Natsu, I'm sure she didn't mean it."

"It's okay, Mirajane, really."

"Mirajane!" she wailed, and called her younger brother, Elfman, over. "Elfman, did you just hear! He's called me Mirajane! He's so serious! So mature! Natsu's so grown up now!"

"Indeed!" Elfman cried, wiping his tears. "He's a man, now! I remember when he was only a boy, making mud-pies, and-!"

"Elfman…may I remind you that you're just a year older than me? And plus, you made those mud-pies WITH me."

"So? A year is still a LOT! And mud-pies are a MAN!"

"Does that even me any sense?"

"Hi, Mira-nee!" Wendy chirped, before this could turn into an argument that utilized loud voices, and exaggerated hand movements. "Hi, Elf-nii!"

"Wendy!" the beautiful older girl immediately gushed. "Still adorable as ever, I see!"

Natsu scratched the back of his head awkwardly as the Struass parents, and his own parents entered (he also sweatdropped as Mira hugged Wendy like a chubby, fluffy teddy bear). Even more awkward was when Lisanna entered with Laxus by her side. She gave him a slight nod, and Laxus waved at him weakly.

He answered their greetings with a wave (which consisted of raising a lazily outstretched hand, and then letting it fall to his side), but didn't say anything.

"Time for dinner," Grandine announced. "I made roast beef…"

"I brought a pie, is that okay?" Kaori, Mira's mom, asked politely. Her husband, Ren, was busy ruffling Natsu's hair, and crying over how grown-up he had become ("Natsu! You're almost as hot-looking as I was back then! Ah! High school! The climax of our youth, eh, Natsu?!"). (Anyone could see where Mira's demeanor came from – though she became very much like her mother when she got mad. And it is apparent why Igneel and Ren are friends, since their loud, proud personalities are almost exactly the same.)

Everyone gathered at the dining table, and sat, where they gave their thanks for the meal and began to eat. As forks and knives clinked on white, shining china plates, small talk bubbled in random places. Sometimes starting up and turning into a joke, and sometimes rolling out as a serious tiny conversation/lecture.

"So, Wendy, you're in high school, now, aren't you?" Kaori asked the bluenette, who dabbed at her mouth with a napkin (Natsu snickered at that, earning a punch from his little sister) before replying.

"Yes...and I've been having fun! I've made a couple new friends."

"That's good, and how about you, Natsu?"

He choked on the piece of beef he was eating. Laxus sniggered, and mocked him. He was sitting far to the left, so no one could see him. Natsu shot a glare his way before he answered, "Pretty good. I've kept all my old friends" – bad choice of words…Lisanna and Laxus flinched – "and I've…made a new one."

"A new ONE?" Kaori asked, suddenly interested. "Is it a…G-I-R-L?!"

"Boy's a player," Igneel said in a tone which should have been disapproving, but wasn't.

His input was rightfully ignored.

Mirajane dropped her spoon on the table, and leaned forward eagerly. She always considered herself a matchmaker. "Is it?! How does she look like? Is she a beauty? Oh, Natsu…do you have a picture of her!?"

Like mother, like daughter.

"I, um, uh…" he spluttered. Maybe bringing up Lucy was a bad idea, after all. If he admitted, that, yes, she was very pretty – which was true – then there would be an uproar. And it seemed a little awkward to bring something like that up when his ex-girlfriend (although she didn't harbor any feelings for him anymore) and her boyfriend – who was his best friend – were in the room.

"Natsu-nii has a lot of female friends, and they're all really pretty. So why's everyone making a fuss about it now?" Wendy asked casually.

"Oh," Mira and Kaori said in disappointment and slouched for a second, before they realized this was not proper etiquette.

"So, he's NOT a player?" Igneel asked in a tone which should have been relief, but sounded much more like disappointment. His comment was again ignored.

Natsu shot Wendy a grateful glance, which she accepted with a tiny smile.

"So…when did you guys start going out?" Igneel suddenly asked. His gaze was directed at Lisanna and Laxus.

Suddenly, the redheaded man blanched. From the looks of it, Grandine had probably kicked from under the table. In addition, Kaori, Mira, Wendy, and Grandine were all shooting him poisonous glances.

"Uh…never mind," he muttered, picking at his food.

"Wait a minute. I want to know myself," Ren piped up, and HE blanched as he received a kick from HIS wife.

"Are you a man enough to be my little sister's boyfriend?!" Elfman inquired, and he whined, "Nee-san! Why did you kick me!?" soon after.

"Ahahahaha! That was YOUR leg, Elfy? I thought that was a BUG that really needed to SHUT UP," the older girl replied, smiling innocently, but everyone could see how her patience was quickly running out. Everyone marveled at how the air around her seemed to shimmer with a menacing aura.

"Right, right…bug," Elfman replied quietly and continued to eat his food in silence.

Lisanna and the blonde-haired boy next to her now seemed super anxious and nervous.

Natsu felt the same way, and he smiled as Wendy let him have the last bit of meat to make him feel better. He ruffled her hair affectionately, and she giggled as she pretended to swat his hand away.

When everyone was finished their meals, Grandine and Kaori cleared up the dishes (with the help of a reluctant Natsu and Igneel – the redheaded man had whined, "But I wasn't the ONLY one who ate, was I?!"), and they gathered in the living room for a movie.

"What're we watching?" Igneel asked, popping open a beer can.

"A drama called _Boys Over Flowers,_" Grandine replied, "And you are NOT going through it drunk."

The blue-haired woman ripped the can out of her husband's hand and dumped the contents in a sink before she recycled the can. Igneel stifled a groan as he sank into an armchair and looked at Natsu's comfortable clothing enviously. "Can't we just watch a super cool, awesome action movie instead? Like…what about something with Jackie Chan in it? Or Chuck Norris? Any movie with hand-to-hand combat…maybe a few weapons – guns, swords – is fine."

"NO."

The boys and men's good moods from an above-and-beyond satisfying dinner immediately dropped.

Igneel hissed in protest when Natsu declared he was going to the bathroom by the time Grandine started to play the fourth episode. The girls were all gushing over how good everyone's acting was, while the males quietly sank into boredom. A couple of times, Igneel felt like standing up, and making a run for it…but he knew that his wife was an incredibly fast runner. Natsu smiled cheekily at his father before he disappeared into the sweet haven of the restroom – which mostly blocked out the sounds of the television.

The boy stayed in the restroom for a good five minutes to avoid as much of the show as possible, and when he emerged, he was feeling reenergized.

But not for long. Laxus was right before him, scratching his head awkwardly.

Natsu blinked, considered rushing back into the bathroom ("Oops! Silly me! Forgot to go pee while I was in there!"), but abandoned the thought when it became apparent the blonde was going to say something.

"Look…Natsu…thanks for…letting me come over."

The salmon-haired boy shrugged, and walked past his best friend indifferently. "My dad's party…I shouldn't have any say over who comes and who doesn't."

"But still…thanks."

"No biggie."

That would have been fine if that was the end of the conversation, but it wasn't.

Just as Natsu was turning around, Laxus added, "And thanks for giving me Lisanna without getting angry."

He froze. What did that blonde bastard just say?

Natsu whirled around, and faced a confused Laxus Dreyar.

"GIVING you Lisanna?" he asked incredulously, approaching his EX-best friend. With every step he took, his temper rose.

"I'm sorry, did you just say that I GAVE you Lisanna?"

"Well-"

"What – the – hell…" Natsu said through clenched teeth. "Look here, you bastard…just like a person doesn't give their precious diamonds to a thief…I didn't _give_ Lisanna to you!"

They were now only centimeters apart in the narrow hallway. The salmon-haired teen's fists itched to give Laxus just one punch in the face, right on the nose, but he controlled his temper. Just count to ten, Natsu…just count to ten. How would Laxus's mom and dad react if their son came home from a dinner at his girlfriend's ex-boyfriend's house with a broken, bloody nose? Not very good, Natsu suspected.

"So what does the thief resort to?" Natsu inquired in a low, sugarcoated voice. "_Stealing."_

He whipped around, and prepared to leave, but the blonde's low, smooth voice said, "I think Lisanna would rather be with someone who has the guts to steal her away rather than a wuss who LETS her get stolen."

Natsu turned around, fists flailing, and shouted, "WHAT THE F***?!"

His right fist landed on the other boy's left cheek, and Laxus fell to the ground.

"What's going on here!?" Grandine's voice filled the hall, accompanied by the tones of the others. "Natsu…what did you do?!"

"LET her?! LET her!? I didn't LET her get stolen. You two bastards did a roundabout way of telling me! It's so f***ing obvious you two already planned everything out! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO STOP SOMETHING THAT WAS ALREADY UNDERWAY HOURS AGO!? Was I supposed to run after you and give her lame excuses I know she wouldn't accept!?"

"You could have at least tried," Laxus muttered. "If you were going to release your anger on me now, why couldn't you just fight me earlier?!"

Natsu sneered, "It's just f***ing like you to put the blame all on me!"

"Natsu, stop!" Lisanna cried, rushing to the fallen blonde's side. The white-haired girl looked contemptuously up at her childhood friend. "What's gotten into you?"

"What's gotten into me? I don't know. Oh, yeah, MY BEST FRIEND JUST STOLE THE ONLY GIRL I'VE LIKED THESE PAST SIXTEEN YEARS!"

After the words exploded out of his mouth, he turned, ignored his mother's cries of, "Natsu!" and left his house, closing the front door with a slam. He kept running, even as he heard his father bellow, "Natsu! Get back here!"

Soon, he arrived at the one place where he could find comfort. The playground he had gone to when Lisanna had broken up with him. Or a better way to describe it, the place where he had first talked to…Luce. He sank into a swing, and let his head fall into his hands. For a long time, he just sat like that, thinking of nothing else, but about what had just happened.

After a while, he heard footsteps approaching him. He didn't even look up. It was probably his mom or dad, here to scold him about what he had just said and done. But the voice that came to his ears was a much more different one than the ones he had known for sixteen years.

"Natsu? You okay?"

He yelped and almost fell off the swing as the familiar tone registered in his mind. "Luce?!"

"Y-yeah…it's me. Sorry…were you sleeping?"

"No…sleeping? I mean…I didn't know it was you. I thought you were one of my parents or something…why are you here?"

"Wendy…" Lucy said hesitantly, and held up her phone. The screen was bright, and Natsu couldn't see what it displayed at the moment. "…texted me about what happened."

"Oh."

After that, all was silent. Finally, the blonde sighed, and took a seat in the swing beside him. She started to make use of the equipment and began to swing back and forth, back and forth.

"So…you came here again, huh?"

"How'd you know I'd be here?"

"Just a feeling."

"Mmm."

Another round of silence.

Natsu was just about to try some lame small talk ("How's the weather lately?"), when she started to hum. Her voice was pleasant; it was just the right pitch, smooth, and clear.

"I know that song," Natsu said absentmindedly.

"Really? Oh, I LOVE _Sick of a Love Where! _It's my new favorite song by Jenny!"

"Mmmhmm, Wendy does too."

Lucy jumped off the swing as it swung forward, and clasped her hands together.

"What are you-?"

_"My broken heart,_

_ I clutch in my hands._

_ Who will bring me the happiness_

_ Of falling in love again?_

"_Who will be next to don the wings_

_ That will take him from me_

_ The moment I fall in love _

_ Seriously?_

Or her. Take _her_ from me.

_ "I'm so sick of a love where_

_ Hope only exists in dreams_

_ So sick of a love where~_

_ Every effort is torn at the seams_

_ I'm so sick of a love where_

_ The only adjective given is 'one-sided'_

_ So sick of a love where_

_ Feelings go unrequited…"_

I could hear Lucy stop abruptly as I let my head collapse into my hands, and I said, "Stop, Luce, it's enough."

"What?"

"Don't be my friend anymore."

"W-what?"

"Even though I'll regret breaking our friendship, I can't do it."

"You can't do what?" Lucy said, her voice strained.

"I can't hang out with someone who I know likes me."

"B-but, Natsu-!"

"I still love her. I still love Lisanna…even after meeting you…I still love her."

A moment of silence.

"Don't be an idiot and think everything will change for you just because she's broken up with me," Natsu said, his voice a whisper.

"I understand, Natsu."

"I can't hurt you, Luce. I really can't. I can't hurt someone honest like-"

"I understand already, Natsu, so just…just stop, okay?" Lucy said, and Natsu looked up as he heard her voice crack. She had lowered her head, but he could still see the tears dripping off her cheek.

They stayed like that for some time, before he eventually said, "I'll take you home."

They walked side by side together, until they reached the Heartfilia home.

Natsu said his good-byes, and he turned around to walk away.

Without even looking back, he could tell that she was standing at her gate, watching him leave.

He didn't look back.

* * *

**What'd you think of this chapter? Ahaha! Did you like the song? Wrote it myself. Or should I just stick to writing fanfictions...ahaha!**

**Thanks so much reviewers and readers!**

**Please review!**

**Until next chapter! Bye!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Okay...first off, I'm really sorry for not updating this story in a long time. It was - and I know you've probably heard this excuse a million times and you're entirely sick of it - I came down with a severe case of writer's block whenever I tried to write Chapter Four. Every time I tried to start this chapter, I would be dissatisfied with it, and think, "I really need to plan this out first anyways..."**

**well, anyways...sorry for the delay, and here it is! Chapter Four!**

**Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Fairy Tail!**

* * *

"You did what?!" Erza practically screamed as she grabbed onto Natsu's shoulders and shook him violently. Gray leaned on his friend's desk and counted off one by one the incorrect doings of Natsu Dragneel on his fingers.

"He slugged Laxus in the face, he screamed his ass off to Lisanna and Laxus, he ran out of his home to the playground in the dead of night, and he-"

"YOU BROKE OFF YOUR FRIENDSHIP WITH LUCY HEARTFILIA!" Erza said, spit flying everywhere.

Around them, several students backed away as the Titania of Fairy Tail Academy seemed close to having either a seizure or a bloody battle to the death with her salmon-haired friend. Natsu was sure if the redhead didn't stop shaking him, his entire jaw would break off from his face and he'd also have to deal with a snapped neck.

Natsu grabbed onto his desk, and ripped away from Erza's grasp; for a few minutes, he steadied himself as his world spun around and around him. He was feeling slightly light-headed by the abuse he had just been given. Finally, he looked up, swallowed back the lump in his throat, and said, "I did. I said I didn't want to be friends with her anymore."

"Why?! What in the world possessed you to be stupid enough, idiotic enough, a dumbass enough, brainless enough, empty-headed enough, moronic enough…to do that to her?!" the scarlet-haired girl said, thrusting her finger into his chest on every 'enough' that she uttered.

"Easy, Erza," the salmon-headed boy said gruffly, "You're going to drill a hole in my chest if you keep doing that."

"Natsu…I'm ready to freakin' stab you through with a sword, throw you off the school's rooftop, and then run you over with the biggest monster truck around…and then possibly stomp all over your flattened, pancake-d body…" the redhead said in a low, menacing voice. "Unless you're ready to give me a damn good explanation for what you've SCREWED up, then that's all going to happen."

As the teenager felt the back of his neck break out into a cold sweat, he averted his gaze, and stared out the window. His eyes involuntarily slid over to Luce's seat; the blonde had not yet arrived, and Natsu was glad for it. If she had been around while Erza was having her meltdown, what would have happened then?

"Look…I've decided to do what I did…because…well, because…I don't want to hurt her."

"That's it?" Erza asked, right eye twitching. "That's it? Where's my sword? Where is it?!"

"Wait, ERZA!" Natsu said, grabbing onto his friend's wrist. "Hear me out, okay? Watch. I've figured out…that" – his voice grew quiet so that Gray and the redhead had to lean in to hear him next – "I still love Lisanna…wait, Erza…and well…if Luce is hanging out with me while I do – while she likes me – then…I can't bear the thought of hurting her."

"That's stupid, Natsu," Erza said roughly while Gray backed away. Their scary female friend seemed to be growing in size with every word the salmon-haired teen uttered. "Have you ever thought about Lucy's situation? And, before you open your damn mouth that has ruined everything – seriously, I think you would be better off with your ass as your mouth – I'm saying no! You haven't thought about Lucy! Who knows what risks she held in her mind as she approached you, who was still in love with their ex-girlfriend, and befriended you? Who knows how pained she was every time she talked to you…and yet…she still managed to smile at you! You're just being a coward, Natsu Dragneel, a humongous, stupid, trembling-!"

"Guys!" Gray snapped, cutting across Erza's insult cleanly.

Natsu looked away as the girl of their five minute long conversation strutted in. Rumors were already flying everywhere – Natsu Dragneel had rejected Lucy Heartfilia as a girlfriend…AND a friend.

Luce barely spared him a glance, and Natsu admitted it – that hurt.

He kept staring at her for a few minutes before he felt a sharp pain on the side of his face.

"Ouch! Erza, why'd you hit-?!" he stopped talking abruptly as he noticed the murderous expression on said girl's face.

His whole face paled extremely as she leaned down next to him, and whispered harshly, "If you're going to go to such extreme extents to not associate with her, then you can at least stop staring at her!"

His neck and face went hot with embarrassment; he hadn't even really noticed that he was unintentionally looking at her. It was just…strange to be without Lucy's usual chipper, "Good morning!"

Even if he had only known and talked to her for about a few days…

Erza shoved his head as the bell rang, and Gray sank down into his seat. Natsu spent the whole morning catching himself glancing at Luce several times. By the time lunch arrived , he was at his wit's end as he wandered dazedly to the lunch counter to purchase something to eat. As he was munching on his bread, however, he noticed something strange. A group of girls, headed by a light brown-haired girl with glasses, were speaking to Luce.

After a brief exchange, in which the blonde had glanced nervously around her – almost desperately – they took her outside to the back of the school.

Mid-chew, Natsu stared with a hard gaze as the door swung shut.

"Yo, idiot! Buy anything for me while you were at the counter?!" Gray called, coming over to his friend while a bluenette with curly, shoulder-length locks hovered around him, gushing over his good looks and charm. The salmon-haired boy ignored his insult combined with a question – on normal circumstances, Natsu would have punched this guy for even ASSUMING for a SECOND that he would ever buy anything for HIM – and briskly strode away.

"I'll take that as a no then?" Gray called after him as Juvia sprung on this opportunity and wailed loud enough for the whole school to hear, "I MADE YOU LUNCH, GRAY-SAMA!"

The boy pushed through crowds of people – most of whom which greeted him with sugarcoated greetings (the girls) and a raised hand for a high five or fist bump (the guys), but he ignored them as he broke out into a light run for the door.

When Natsu burst through it, he looked left, and then finally, right when he heard an angry outburst.

"Bitch! Do you think you can just associate with Natsu just because you're some rich ass lady who has dozens of servants waiting at her feet?!" the head of the group was yelling. The whole crowd was faced away from Natsu so that the person they were cornering was obstructed from his view.

"I never said that. It's you and your assumptions that are getting yourself angry. Why don't you take the time you use to rant to people for anger management classes instead?" a familiar voice chimed in. As firm as the tone had started out, it shook and trembled at the end, leaving the individual's retort less than weak.

Despite the fact that Natsu had only ever heard this helpless-sounding once from this person – last night - he knew instantly who it was. Luce.

However, the words seemed to do the trick.

The girl who was talking's voice rose several notches as she shouted, "You bitch!"

There was a collective gasp from all the girls present. Natsu assumed that someone was about to get hit. And it wouldn't be the bully who was going to incur damage.

"What are you doing?!" he shouted, and immediately, a dozen and possibly three more girls; heads whirled around, their eyes focusing on the boy their whole riot was about. A majority of the members of the gathering whimpered and said, "Oh. My. Mavis. Natsu SAW us. He'll totally hate us now."

"Why the hell do you think that it's f***ing okay to join up and abuse someone like that?!" he asked, approaching them. Females screamed and scooted a few inches away, revealing the leader of their posse at last. It was the glasses girl from inside. On her face was a smug expression, and about a thousand pounds of make-up. She smacked her ruby red lips as she batted her eyelashes flirtatiously at the boy, and said in what he guessed she thought was an alluring voice, "Just getting rid of your pests, Natsu…_sama."_

If he hadn't been so upset by the stricken look on Lucy's face as she finally came into his line of sight, he would have vomited all over the girl's shoes at her fake, honey-coated kindness towards him. Not to mention that her "sexiness" was not turning him on, but doing the exact opposite…if that was possible when he hadn't been aroused by her cosmetics-based beauty in the first place.

"I don't have any pests," Natsu said hotly, and then shot her a scathing glare. "Until now. You. And your gang. Get out of my sight. Now."

The girl's jaw dropped. And then, she covered up her surprised face with a smile. "Apparently, you don't know who I am…I am the beauty of this school – Evergreen!"

She clasped her hands together, and shot me another smile as she chewed on her bottom lip. He blinked as he watched her front teeth scrape the lipstick off her mouth.

"Never heard of you. Beauty of the school? What's with that? Are you a first year?"

Again, Evergreen's jaw dropped. "No! I'm a third year! How could you not know me? I was voted the prettiest girl in the school just last month!"

Natsu blinked, and rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Just get the hell out of here."

He turned away, but the girl's nails dug into his shoulder.

"You don't understand! You and I are meant to be together! Prince of the school, fairy of the world! We're perfect for-!"

"Look, old lady, I don't have time for this!"

Evergreen's whole lower mouth seemed to break away from her face at his insult. "Old?! Old?! I'm just a year older than you, you…you…sh*thead!"

By that time, Natsu was ignoring her, and approaching Lucy instead.

"COME BACK HERE, NATSU DRAGNEEL! COME BACK!"

"Ever, maybe it's time we head back in, yeah?"

"No! I will NOT-!"

Her shouts were abruptly cut off as her friend dragged her into the school building.

Luce was on the ground, covering her face.

Natsu stood over her, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "Hey, Luce…don't cry…"

Suddenly, the blonde's head snapped up, and she sprang up instantly. "CRY?! CRY?! I'm not crying you big asshole!"

"That's a relief…wait, what?"

"I'm unbelievably, positively, absolutely seething with RAGE!" Luce screamed as she stomped her foot on the ground repetitively. Natsu had to admit that it was hard to take her seriously when she was doing a cliché, kind of cute thing like that. "Maybe you ARE a sh*thead!" Okay. Cuteness gone. But still…she was still keeping up that stomping thing…

"Natsu Dragneel!" she said; now, the corners of her eyes were dotted with real tears. "If you're not going to accept my love confession, accept my feelings, accept the fact that I like you, or even let me be your FRIEND…then you should just stop doing these kinds of things!"

"What 'kinds of things'?"

"STOP BEING NICE TO ME!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. "Stop doing the kind of stuff that'll make me love you even more!"

And with that, she glared at him, and ran around a corner, disappearing somewhere in the school's front courtyard (A/N: so…they're in the back of the school, but if you turn a corner, you're at the side, and if you turn another corner there , you'll be in the front…like that…). Natsu stared at the empty space the blonde had been in moments before…before he fell to his knees and clutched onto his salmon hair.

"I've screwed things up," he muttered, before digging the heels of his palms into his eyes.

* * *

**Now, the Author Lets You Stalk Lucy…**

She really couldn't believe that guy.

But what she couldn't believe more was that even in her fit of rage, she had fallen in love with him even MORE. It was like every time he even looked at her, she'd tumbled a little farther down the hill specially designed for idiots who were romantically in love with someone…or cliff…or rollercoaster…

The blonde marched into the school's front courtyard, and wiped at her eyes furiously. She had summoned a lot of courage coming to school today; even more guts had been used to force herself not to involuntarily look at Natsu while he was in class. She loved doing that more than anything. His hair fell over his eyes constantly while he worked on some kind of problem the teacher had handed them. He had a habit of brushing his chin with his right index finger every time he became stumped on a question – which was considerably often…but still…

The blonde bit her bottom lip as she marched towards one of the many shady trees that flanked the courtyard. There were benches set under them, and that's where she wanted to sit right now. A few students were out eating their lunch, but other than that, the place was fairly deserted. As she approached her destination, her mouth turned down into a frown as she noticed a familiar figure.

The person had broad shoulders, spiky hair, a muscular profile, and a depressed aura about him.

Fighting against all her gut instincts, Lucy walked towards the boy anyways, and stopped to stand right behind him as the breeze caressed her hair.

"Laxus…"

Said boy frantically looked up, but when he saw that it was just Lucy Heartfilia, his heart rate slowed.

"Lucy," he said, and looked up at her with large, troubled eyes. The sudden urge to pat him on the head washed over her, but she resisted against it.

"Why aren't you with Lisanna?"

He is quick to answer. "We had a fight after…Natsu…you probably heard about last night, huh? Since you two are so tight now."

"Since we WERE so tight. Haven't you heard the rumors?"

Laxus sighed, and rubbed his temples. "Lucy…what are you even doing here? I never thought you'd…"

His voice trailed off, leaving his thoughts incomplete. But she knew where he was heading with this.

"That I'd never talk to you again? Why wouldn't I?"

"Well, because I…ignored you…a lot…"

"Laxus…or course I'd still talk to you," Lucy said flatly. "After all…you ARE my childhood friend."

* * *

**Gasp, what?! Laxus...and Lucy...are what? As you can see, this a perfect demonstration of the utilization of a cliffhanger used solely for the purpose of frustrating my readers...nah, just joking with you guys! But seriously, Chapter Five may not be updated for a while...because...you never know when Writer's Block creeps up on you...I just made it sound like a stalker...**

**Anyways, I seriously want to thank Senbei X Cup Ramen for the part where Erza says that Natsu didn't think about the risks Lucy took when befriending him! Your review inspired me to put that in this chapter! Thanks so much!**

**And thanks for all of my supporters out there!**

**Thanks for reading! Please review!**

**Until next chapter!**


	5. Chapter 5

**I have finally updated this story...It's been weeks, hasn't it? Writer's block, and the like...blah, blah, blah...It's been weeks so, I doubt you guys want to read this author's note, so...I'll spare you.**

**Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Fairy Tail.**

* * *

"I don't know what to do."

Lucy sat quietly in the café, in a chair right across from her childhood friend's, wasting her Saturday listening to his love problems. It had been approximately three years since they had last talked like this, but the fact that the topic of conversation was about Laxus whining and complaining didn't improve Lucy's mood.

Three years ago, the two of them had entered junior high, and Laxus had suddenly grown cold towards her. He had distanced himself to find new friends to hang out with. People who would share his "manly" interests of wrestling and absurd infatuation with all things related to lightning. It wasn't long before he had befriended the cool, popular Natsu Dragneel, who literally had the hearts of every girl he came across in the palms of his hands. Including hers. Lucy stirred her tea in annoyance as she remembered his wide, warm smile as he had extended his hand and helped her up gingerly when she had fallen in P.E. Her face flushed as she remembered her classmates laughing at the poor girl who had tripped. Back then, she had always tied her hair in a ponytail with a childish hair tie shaped like a bunny rabbit.

Her face had been quite ordinary, and she hadn't stood out like most girls her age at all. But the moment Natsu had been kind to her, she had felt confident for the first time in many weeks since starting middle school. Anyone could imagine the heartbreak she felt when days later, he and his childhood friend Lisanna Strauss had started to date each other. It irritated Lucy to no end how her love story sounded so much like a shoujo manga – like a plotline from some sappy, cliché romance novel.

"Lucy, what can I do?" Laxus moaned again, looking up, and staring at her directly in the eyes. His cup of hot tea was left untouched, and the sweet, rich aroma floated overto Lucy's nose as she sipped a bit of her own drink. "What if she wants to break up with me?"

"Then she'll break up with you," the blonde replied snippily as she spooned more unnecessary sugar into her beverage. Half of the sugar in the sugar container was gone and into her tea. If Lucy continued on being distracted, all of it would disappear from the flask in about five minutes.

"You're not helping!"

"I'm sorry…do I _look _like a psychiatrist to you? Do I look like I have a Ph.D? Because I'll tell you now, I don't! I'm sick and tired of you guys coming to me and whining about Lisanna Strauss this, and Lisanna Strauss that!"

The blonde grew sour as she realized how bitchy she sounded. Making that white-haired girl as the enemy wasn't going to help, she knew. But there was a dark part of her that hated that girl, and blamed her for the fact that Natsu and she were no longer friends.

"The least you could do for me is to help me."

"Three years, Laxus," Lucy said coldly. "Three years you haven't spoken to me. Can you imagine how angry I am that you've called me out for the first time in those three years for this?"

The boy's face flashed in surprise for a moment before he straightened up, and gave her a glare. Back when they were kids, this familiar look would have forced her to shut up, and listen to whatever the blonde boy had to say. But things had changed since then, Lucy thought, looking at his ferocious expression with a certain degree of amusement.

"Why am I suddenly the antagonist?" Laxus asked in an equally icy voice. "Can't you be on my side for once? After all, this is all that bastard Natsu's fault. He even dumped you as a friend because he's still in love with _my _girl."

At the word 'dumped', Lucy slammed down her cup. Tea slopped out from all sides of the container, and she glared at the blonde with fury beaming out from her eyes. A few people around them glanced their way in curiosity and blinked as they felt the uncomfortable aura that settles when two complete strangers are arguing passionately right in front of your eyes. "'That bastard Natsu'? Your girl? Laxus, you're describing yourself! Lisanna was Natsu's girl and you fell in love with her! No matter which way you look at it, this is probably all your fault!"

A moment of silence passed and the blonde girl leaned back in her chair, expecting for Laxus to explode in anger and rage. Instead, he leaned back himself, and shook his head in a condescending way. Lucy scowled. She hated being degraded under any circumstances.

"And here I thought you'd be thanking me," Laxus said, smirking slightly, though his eyes had a venomous glint to them. "After all, if your one-sided crush no longer has a girlfriend, you can snatch him and flirt with him all you want, right?"

Shock dulled Lucy's mind for a moment before she stood up and smacked Laxus across the face. A few people gasped in surprise, and a little boy tugged at his mother's sleeve, desperately trying to retrieve her attention. "YOU F***ING BASTARD! HOW COULD YOU?!"

Tears appeared at the corners of her eyes. "It's true that I confessed to him and after I learned he had broken up with Lisanna, I asked if he could consider going out with me! But he said no!"

Lucy ignored her cup falling off the table and shattering on the ground. By now, customers had gotten up and moved away from them, calling out for the manager. "But I'm not some lowdown bitch who will try to take advantage of a time when he's lonely and miserable! NATSU WAS MY FRIEND, AND HE GAVE UP MY FRIENDSHIP WITH HIM FOR A LOGICAL REASON UNLIKE YOU!"

"Ma'am, I'm going to have to ask you to leave!" yelled the manager.

The blonde wasted no time in gathering her things and marching out the front entrance. She walked briskly as she heard Laxus tromping after her.

"Lucy, wait!" he cried.

She kept walking, and yelped indignantly when she felt Laxus's large, rough hand close around hers. His hand felt different from Natsu's. For a moment, she was reminded of the moment when he had reached out his warm, slightly rough, masculine hand and had grabbed her wrist in order to pull her free of the girls preventing her from entering her classroom. The picture was immediately ridden of as she turned and faced Laxus's angular face instead of Natsu's. There was a mark on his face from the slap she had inflicted on him.

"Look, I didn't mean it like that…I…I'm sorry."

"For what? Insulting my crush? Not talking to me? Ignoring me?"

"All of the above," he said. He looked at her sheepishly. "You're my childhood friend, and I should know you better than anyone. I'm sorry."

She gasped as he pulled her into a tight embrace. The blonde's eyes narrowed as she fought to keep back tears. Still, in a tiny bit of her mind, she wondered…how would it feel to be held in Natsu's arms?

Tears came, and she clenched her jaw. Why? Why did every minute have to consist of some thought about him? She grasped onto Laxus's shirt and said fiercely, "Apology accepted, dumbass."

* * *

Natsu trudged after his little sister grudgingly. "Why do I have to do this? Why do I have to follow you to that stupid girly shop?"

Wendy turned around and smiled marvelously. With her best serious expression, she imitated Grandine's severe tone of voice precisely. "Because I am only fifteen and I need to have my sixteen year old brother with me in order to protect his dear little sister."

Natsu bit the inside of his cheek in irritation.

"This week, Sue-chan asked about you."

"Huh? About what?"

Sue was one of Wendy's friends she had made way back in grade school. She was trustworthy. Because of Natsu's popularity, it was common that Wendy received fake friends who were only interested in becoming closer to him. But years of experience had blessed the petite bluenette the one hundred percent accurate ability to differentiate between faux companions ad true ones. Sue was one of the authentic pals – and Natsu guessed that Lucy was one as well.

Wendy had been very upset when she had learned what had happened between him and the blonde.

_"Why, Natsu-nii? Why?"_she had questioned.

He hadn't had the heart to tell her.

"What else? She asked what type of girls you like."

"And how did you answer?"

"Girls like Lisanna."

Natsu stopped in his tracks, and made a strangled noise.

"I'm only kidding, Natsu-nii. I said I didn't know what my idiot older brother likes."

"And that sounds so much better."

"It really does."

He chuckled slightly and started to walk again. They passed the park leisurely, and Natsu gazed at the street across from them. This was where the major storefronts were located. There was that café that Wendy always wanted to go to whenever she had a chance, the beauty salon his mother liked to visit, and the game shop where his father liked to visit and act childishly in. Natsu rolled his eyes as memories flooded his mind. He looked away suddenly when he saw two people hugging each other in front of the bakery. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly, and stopped.

He looked again.

That girl…

She raised her hand and clutched onto the shirt of the boy whose arms she was in. For a minute, her face came into view before it was hidden by the guy's shoulder.

There was no mistake.

It was Lucy.

* * *

Natsu arrived early to school on Monday morning and watched in keen observation at the people who walked in. When Erza arrived, she greeted him, but came up short. Natsu didn't reply, and he was deeply concentrated on something. The fact that he of all people was thinking in depth over something unknown puzzled her and scared Gray, but still the salmon-haired boy said nothing.

Finally, it was when a certain blonde waltzed into the classroom that he stood up and approached her.

Lucy's eyes widened in surprise as Natsu's build towered over her – even though he was only inches taller.

"Lucy. You. Me. Talk. Outside."

The blonde ducked her head down, and attempted to stride past him. Natsu struck an arm out, grabbed her around the waist, and threw her into a princess carry.

Lucy's face flushed as he walked out of the room with her in his arms.

"Wait! Let me down! You sh*thead! Put me down!"

Only when they had reached an empty hallway did Natsu set her down at last.

"What was that about?!" she demanded, hands on hips.

"I saw it."

"What?"

"I saw you and Laxus hugging on Saturday."

Lucy immediately froze, and her eyes filled with understanding.

"That…you are misunderstanding."

"Laxus…is he cheating on Lisanna with you?"

Lucy's jaw dropped in horror. "No! Are you accusing me of…doing such a thing?! Is that the kind of person you see me as?!"

Natsu remained unblinking, but his heart filled with dread.

"Laxus and I are childhood friends! We were just repairing our friendship!" the blonde said, stamping her foot.

Natsu's facial expression must have changed, because Luce's face fell.

"You don't believe me," she said quietly. "You think I'm having an affair with Laxus!"

"Luce, if you hurt Lisanna…I won't ever forgive you."

Despite his seriousness, the affectionate nickname he had given her slipped out of his mouth. He wanted to slap himself.

"Natsu Dragneel," the blonde said slowly, her eyes filling with disbelief. "I can't believe you. I hate you."

She turned her face away and took a step past him, but Natsu grabbed onto her wrist. An electric shock traveled up her arm.

"I don't know why you like me," he whispered.

"I just said I hated you!" she yelled, ripping her hand free from his grasp.

But her outburst didn't faze him.

"Because I'm selfish, I have to ask…" Natsu said. Luce stopped stomping away, and turned back to glare at him.

"What?"

Natsu's face was hidden by the shadows of his bangs before he properly looked up to confront her. The pained distortion of his features caught the girl by surprise. She was effectively glued to the spot.

"Why were you hugging him? Didn't you say that you loved me?" Natsu's gaze swelled with hurt. "Or was it just a lie?"

Lucy stared at him for a while; the bell rang, signaling the start of school. The blonde's heart quickened as she realized she was late. Still, she stood there, her throat clenching and the back of her eyes stinging. Her lungs felt as if they were burning as she held her breath to resist against the urge to sob. "Natsu…"

Silence.

And then…

"Yeah?"

"I love you more than you could possibly imagine."

His eyes widened as the blonde whirled around and walked away.

Natsu blinked slowly and clutched his head as he crouched down abruptly, as if gravity had suddenly increased in strength and was pulling on him so strongly that he could no longer stand upright.

"Sh*t."

Suddenly, the girl he had strived to remember the name of had become much more important than he had realized.

Closing his eyes, he tried to imagine it.

But she was right… he really couldn't after all.

* * *

**And there! Done! I wonder if it was a bit rushed? But...lots of drama! :D You can already guess that the next chapter for this story will take some time in getting updated...can't you? And I'll try by best to update my other stories...like TUCL...which really needs to be updated...anyways, I hope you enjoyed reading this, and thanks for reading it! **

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter! **

**Please review!**

**Until next chapter!**


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